Smoke prompts closure of D.C. Metro stations

WASHINGTON D.C. -- Washington D.C. subway officials suspended service on a section of track shared by three lines after smoke appeared in a station, CBS affiliate WUSA reported.

Metro tweeted that the service was suspended Thursday afternoon from Eastern Market to L'Enfant Plaza after smoke was reported at the Federal Center SW station.

That section of track serves the orange, blue and silver lines, and includes the Capitol South station, which was also closed. Metrobus shuttles were running between the stations.

The closure was necessary to replace the third-rail insulator at Federal Center, Metro said in a statement.

District of Columbia fire department spokesman Doug Buchanan told The Washington Post that the insulator was arcing. He says the fire department received a report of a light haze of smoke in the station. Firefighters responded, then cleared the station about 5:30 p.m.

Metro Transit Police tweeted that there were no injuries.

Earlier in the day, a fireball was seen in the Federal Center Metro station, WUSA reported.